Well, you *can* get them from me, but it's more immediate to go out and pick them up at the store. Definitely try there first.

AFAIK, all three are still in print. I've had good luck asking if there were any in stock, if I couldn't find it on the shelf.

Realms of the Elves (which has a novella from me, featuring the first appearance of Fox-at-Twilight, and is a great anthology besides) is recently out of print, so if you happen upon a copy at the store, I might suggest you pick that up as well. Good stuff from several of us Realms writers.

which leaves me to wonder why everybody has to have a spellscarred character in their books..... and done to a well thought out character.... anyway.if you dont mind would you pass something on to Miss Jones for me, tell her I finished City of the Dead, and while it was good, I did not enjoy it as much as Blackstaff Tower, Downshadow(which had 2 spell scarred and more), mistshore( which also had 2 and more spell scarred) as it read like a mystery novel.

who done its, are well get old, not as old though as the Clue movie from back in the 80s.

it was the old guy in the yard with a book.....

why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power

quote:which leaves me to wonder why everybody has to have a spellscarred character in their books..... and done to a well thought out character.... anyway.

I suspect that a number of us wanted to use spellscarred characters in our books because it was new, really--a cool new dimension to add to your characters. Also, it fit the active themes of the novels (particularly Downshadow and Mistshore) really well. I don't recall any spellscarred characters in Blackstaff Tower, though there were a LOT of characters in that book, providing us a very rich portrait of the city in the old, classic Eddie-Romp style.

As for why Twilight has been spellscarred, well--on the one hand, I needed to show clear changes over the course of 100 years (and this one is very clear). Secondly, the spellscar adds an important dimension to her character that I felt was lacking in the past--the fundamental dilemma (not being able to touch anyone) fits with her character in dastardly and wonderful ways. Thirdly, it allows me to tell some pretty awesome stories about her.

As I promised yesterday I went on a quest for your books last night and I was able to pick up Ghostwalker and Downshadow (I got the rest of the series that Downshadow is in as well).

Just want you to know Ghostwalker is to blame for my red/at half mast eyes this morning. I love the driven/obsessed character motivation. I have tried to convey that type of motivation for some NPC's in my adventures but I haven't seem anyone capture it well enough to use as an example (till now ) So Ghostwalker will now be required reading for my players in my ongoing campaign. I was only able to get to about half way last night but I had to sacrifice 3-4 hrs sleep for it. SOOOOO worth it though.

One of the big disappointments of the day was I couldn't get a copy of Depths of Madness. I was interested in that one the most (just my usual luck I guess...have to pray to Tymora a wee bit harder).

Ok small rant here...

WHY....OH WHY....Does the bookstore think the only author for Forgotten Realms is R.A.S. I know he has done some outstanding work, and has written a wagon load of novels...BUT 90% of the FR books in the store were HIS. ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH !!!!!!!

ok rant over...big breath...

Lastly I thought you should know, I went to a used book store first...and low and behold...there were at least 2 copies of the other "Fighter" books at the store...but not one of yours...so that tells me people are hanging on to your books instead of reading then dumping them

I will post more after I finish Ghost and Down...but so far....EXCELLENT read...thank you.

"Go ahead...Sleep in the church...the vampires can't get ya in the church" Any DM...any time.

"He's like a trained ape...without the training"Simon after Jane trashed the Med lab

I think bookstores carry a lot of RAS because: 1) he has written a LOT of FR novels (more than many of us combined), and 2) his novels are consistently NYT bestsellers and move a lot of copies. It's just good business.

I have also had no luck finding any of my novels at used bookstores. Part of it is, I suspect, that they're comparatively new, but also I take it as a compliment that people tend to hang onto my work. I mean, they're too thin (at ~320 pages) to use as door stops, right?

And I'm glad you're enjoying Ghostwalker so much--and you've my sympathies that it's costing you sleep. And, of course, I take that as a serious compliment.

Look for an homage to Ghostwalker in Downshadow as well. Homages to a LOT of Realms novels, actually.

I have also had no luck finding any of my novels at used bookstores. Part of it is, I suspect, that they're comparatively new, but also I take it as a compliment that people tend to hang onto my work. I mean, they're too thin (at ~320 pages) to use as door stops, right?

Oh yeah...about that whole ~320 pages ....I know you have restrictions on length dictated to you by WotC or your publisher...but I sincerely hope you are fighting back as hard as possible. There seems like there is so much more to tell in the story line. I could be jumping to conclusions here as I am only half done with Ghostwalker, but I would like a lot more detail...

Would it help if I said please ???

"Go ahead...Sleep in the church...the vampires can't get ya in the church" Any DM...any time.

"He's like a trained ape...without the training"Simon after Jane trashed the Med lab

1) I wrote it substantially *after* I wrote the rest of the book, so I'd had some distance and time to reflect on how the characters developed and who they really were. Speaking from my own experience, no matter how well you outline, you won't even begin to get to know your characters until you start the actual writing . . . and you don't really *know* them until the end of the novel.

2) I wrote it so that it could be read before, after, or during the novel (the way a good companion story *should* work, IMO). So your experience with the story varies from someone who hadn't read any of the book (in which case it serves mostly as a teaser and tone piece), which is different from someone who had read the whole thing (a different perspective that fills in some blanks).

How was reading the story for you? Did it help/harm/enhance your reading experience?

Cheers

P.S. So far, I've written companion stories for all the books I've published through WotC. If you're itching to read Depths, you might check out its companion story: "That Time of the Tenday" (which, I'll explain, is a play on "that time of the month"). Check this link: http://eriksdb.livejournal.com/190872.html

I would have to say that it enhanced the story...an insight to the other characters feelings and motivations is always a good thing.

I am really torn now on feeling pity for Meris for the way he was brought up (the description of his horror at what happened is chilling compared to how he turns out). And then wanting to hate/dislike him for giving up his youthful principals.

Very well done as far as shining some light on how even a good or neutral character can associate with and even party with an evil character.

This makes little curiosity lights pop off in me skull...and there isn't much room in there for that

Can't wait to finish it up now. And then re-read it.

"Go ahead...Sleep in the church...the vampires can't get ya in the church" Any DM...any time.

"He's like a trained ape...without the training"Simon after Jane trashed the Med lab

Very well done as far as shining some light on how even a good or neutral character can associate with and even party with an evil character.

I'm curious who you're referring to, here? Do you mean Meris (who is, at least at the outset, ambiguous in his goodness, or do you mean Dharan Greyt, allied with all those villains in his old adventuring party? Or are you talking someone else?

I prefer to keep good/evil a little shady, compared to a good bit of mainstream fantasy. For instance, Aragorn is always good, Drizzt is always good . . . I try to keep my morality a little more relative, more in the George R.R. Martin vein. Not everyone in my books belongs entirely to one side or another (those some are closer than others).

Very well done as far as shining some light on how even a good or neutral character can associate with and even party with an evil character.

I'm curious who you're referring to, here? Do you mean Meris (who is, at least at the outset, ambiguous in his goodness, or do you mean Dharan Greyt, allied with all those villains in his old adventuring party? Or are you talking someone else?

I prefer to keep good/evil a little shady, compared to a good bit of mainstream fantasy. For instance, Aragorn is always good, Drizzt is always good . . . I try to keep my morality a little more relative, more in the George R.R. Martin vein. Not everyone in my books belongs entirely to one side or another (those some are closer than others).

Cheers

I am referring to Greyt's friends (Drex in particular) in the prelude, they didn't seem all to thrilled with what went down or even how Greyt handled the situation. But they stuck with it nonetheless. I suppose that can show how not all evil is all black...shades of gray and even white can show up. I suppose I may be reading loyalty for ones fellows as "good" but that is not always the case.

As for how the whole prelude read...VERY interesting...I am glad you got the chance to do this bit.

"Go ahead...Sleep in the church...the vampires can't get ya in the church" Any DM...any time.

"He's like a trained ape...without the training"Simon after Jane trashed the Med lab

Well, Shadowbane is scrappy, anti-social, and works outside the law . . . pretty much perfect for membership. Granted, he's probably not powerful enough for the Grey Hands. I see them as high-paragon or epic-level, and Shadowbane is high-heroic. I suspect he would branch into low-paragon if he appeared in a trilogy, but that's still fairly low.

Also not sure if the Grey Hands are still around in 4e. I haven't seen anything to confirm it either way.

But assuming they are, a good question would be, if Shadowbane got out hand, would the Grey Hands come after him? (It would be like the Avengers deciding to take out Spider-man.)

Not currently working on any WotC novels (though I'm hopeful!), but I do have a couple projects I'm working on. I have a story in the forthcoming Realms of the Dead anthology (Jan 2010), I am currently writing two articles for DDI, and I am a contributing author in an as-yet-unannounced sourcebook (so no other hints here).

Any of these things may or may not connect to my other work, but you know me . . .

I'm also working on selling two non-D&D novels to places other than WotC, and I'm about a third of the way into yet a third novel (again, not WotC).

Yes, it's a short story, and only what I've said so far, which is that it is called "A Love Story in Parts" and that it is sort of a dark romantic comedy.

It features a brand new set of characters, but there may be tie-ins to my previous work. As I said, you know me.

Cheers

This is true...I am reading Downshadow again just so I can go slow and try to catch all the pre-spellplague tie in and tribute stuff you slid in there. I think there is at least 10 or 15 in there...some even doubled up...part of why I loved the story so much. It really helps tie in to the 4E scenario when you get a little "then to now" history.

"Go ahead...Sleep in the church...the vampires can't get ya in the church" Any DM...any time.

"He's like a trained ape...without the training"Simon after Jane trashed the Med lab